Interactive system for rerouting a two-way email communication pathway

ABSTRACT

A first email message is received from a first user communication endpoint. In one embodiment, the first email message is addressed to a general email messaging address for a corporation. In response to receiving the first email message from the first user communication endpoint, a second email message is sent to the first user communication endpoint. The second email message is used to identify a way to select an individual user of the plurality users. For example, the second email message may have a menu with a list of users. A third email message is received from the first user communication endpoint. The third email message identifies the individual user of the plurality of users. A fourth email message is sent that allows the first user communication endpoint and a user communication endpoint of the selected individual user to establish an email messaging session.

FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to email messaging systems andparticularly to management of email messaging systems.

BACKGROUND

Voice telecommunication systems include automated attendants, thepurpose of which is to allow a user to establish a two-way communicationsession with a specific person. Voice telecommunication systems alsoinclude an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) capability, the purpose ofwhich is to take a user's input, process it, and return a result. Forexample, the menu presented by a bank's telephone-access IVR systemallows a user to find out a branch's hours of operation, check personalaccount balances, confirm that a deposit has cleared, and transfer fundsfrom one account to another. Note that in all operations supported byIVR systems, the user's interactions are with a computer and not withanother person. Although IVR-like functionality exists in emailmessaging systems (including an ability to send an email message to aspecific address), email messaging systems do not have an attendantfunction that would allow users to establish a direct two-way emailcommunication link between themselves and a desired party.

SUMMARY

These and other needs are addressed by the various embodiments andconfigurations of the present disclosure. A first email message isreceived from a first user communication endpoint. In one embodiment,the first email message is addressed to a general email messagingaddress for a corporation. In response to receiving the first emailmessage from the first user communication endpoint, a second emailmessage is sent to the first user communication endpoint. The secondemail message is used to identify a way to select an individual user ofthe plurality users. For example, the second email message may have amenu with a list of users. A third email message is received from thefirst user communication endpoint. The third email message identifiesthe individual user of the plurality of users. A fourth email message issent that allows the first user communication endpoint and a usercommunication endpoint of the selected individual user to establish anemail messaging session.

The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, “or”, and “and/or” areopen-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive inoperation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, Band C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “oneor more of A, B, or C”, “A, B, and/or C”, and “A, B, or C” means Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, or A, B and C together.

The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. Assuch, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can beused interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms“comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

The term “automatic” and variations thereof, as used herein, refers toany process or operation, which is typically continuous orsemi-continuous, done without material human input when the process oroperation is performed. However, a process or operation can beautomatic, even though performance of the process or operation usesmaterial or immaterial human input, if the input is received beforeperformance of the process or operation. Human input is deemed to bematerial if such input influences how the process or operation will beperformed. Human input that consents to the performance of the processor operation is not deemed to be “material”.

Aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects that may all generally bereferred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Any combinationof one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computerreadable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computerreadable storage medium.

A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limitedto, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combinationof the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of thecomputer readable storage medium would include the following: anelectrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computerdiskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flashmemory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document,a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that cancontain, or store a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program codeembodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using anyappropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline,optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of theforegoing.

The terms “determine”, “calculate” and “compute,” and variationsthereof, as used herein, are used interchangeably and include any typeof methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique.

As described herein and in the claims a body of a text message/email isthe text portion of the text message/email. The body does not refer toaddresses/telephone numbers that are used to route the textmessage/email and may be displayed as part of the text message/email.

The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding ofsome aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive norexhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various embodiments. It isintended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosurenor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selectedconcepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction tothe more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated,other embodiments of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or incombination, one or more of the features set forth above or described indetail below. Also, while the disclosure is presented in terms ofexemplary embodiments, it should be appreciated that individual aspectsof the disclosure can be separately claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first illustrative system for rerouting atext messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second illustrative system for reroutinga text messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a first user interface that depicts a series oftext messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a second user interface that depicts a series oftext messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a third user interface that depicts a series oftext messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a fourth user interface that depicts a series oftext messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a first process for rerouting a textmessaging/email pathway.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a second process for rerouting a textmessaging/email pathway.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process for blocking unwanted textmessages/emails.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process for rerouting a text messagingpathway based on receiving each character in a separate text message.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first illustrative system 100 forrerouting a text messaging/email pathway. The first illustrative system100 comprises user communication endpoints 101A-101N, a network 110, anda communication system 120. In addition, users 105A-105N are shown beingassociated with the user communication endpoints 101A-101N.

The user communication endpoints 101A-101N can be or may include anyuser communication endpoint device that can communicate on the network110, such as a Personal Computer (PC), a telephone, a video system, acellular telephone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a tablet device,a notebook device, a smartphone, and/or the like. The user communicationendpoints 101A-101N are devices where a communication sessions ends. Theuser communication endpoints 101A-101N are not network elements thatfacilitate and/or relay information in the network, such as acommunication manager or router. As shown in FIG. 1, any number of usercommunication endpoints 101A-101N may be connected to the network 110.

The user communication endpoint 101A further comprise a microprocessor102A, a text messaging/email client 103A, and a display 104A. Althoughnot shown for convenience, the user communication endpoints 101B-101Nalso comprise a microprocessor 102, a text messaging client 103, and adisplay.

The microprocessor 102A can be or may include any hardware processor,such as a micro-controller, an application specific processor, amulti-core processor, a digital signaling processor, and/or the like.

The text messaging/email client 103A can be or may include any clientthat can be used to send a text message (e.g., a Short Message Service(SMS)) and/or an email. The text messaging/email client 103A can sendtext messages and/or emails to the text messaging/email attendant 122.

The display 104A can be or may include any hardware display that candisplay information to the user 105A. For example, the display 104A maybe a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, a plasma display, a liquidcrystal display, a cathode ray tube, a projector, and/or the like.

The network 110 can be or may include any collection of communicationequipment that can send and receive electronic communications, such asthe Internet, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), aVoice over IP Network (VoIP), the Public Switched Telephone Network(PSTN), a packet switched network, a circuit switched network, acellular network, a combination of these, and the like. The network 110can use a variety of electronic protocols, such as Ethernet, InternetProtocol (IP), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Integrated ServicesDigital Network (ISDN), email protocols, text messaging protocols (e.g.,Short Message Service (SMS)), and/or the like. Thus, the network 110 isan electronic communication network configured to carry messages viapackets and/or circuit switched communications.

The communication system 120 can be or may include any hardware coupledwith software that can manage how text messages/emails are routedbetween the user communication endpoints 101A-101N. The communicationsystem 120 further comprises a microprocessor 121, a textmessaging/email attendant 122, and a text messaging/email filter 123.

The microprocessor 121 can be or may include any hardware processor,such as a micro-controller, an application specific processor, amulti-core processor, a digital signaling processor, and/or the like.

The text messaging/email attendant 122 can be or may include anysoftware that can manage how text messages/emails are routed between theuser communication endpoints 101A-101N. The text messaging/emailattendant 122 may be used as a gateway that allows text messaging/emailaddresses to be hidden from other users 103.

The text messaging/email filter 123 can be or may include any softwarethat can be used to filter text messages/emails. The textmessaging/email filter 123 uses one or more rules (e.g., a blacklist/IPaddress) to filter text messages/emails.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second illustrative system 200 forrerouting a text messaging/email pathway. The second illustrative systemcomprise user communication endpoints 101A-1-101A-N, 101B-1-101B-N,networks 110A-110B and the communication system 120. In FIG. 2, thenetwork 110A is typically a public network, such as the Internet. Thenetwork 110B is typically a private network, such as, a corporatenetwork. In FIG. 2, the communication system 120 is typically used tosend text messages/emails between the user communication endpoints101A-1-101A-N and the user communication endpoints 101B-1-101B-N.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a first user interface 300 that depicts a seriesof text messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.Illustratively, the user communication endpoints 101A-101N,101A-1-101A-N, and 101B-1-101B-N, the text messaging/email client 103A,the communication system 120, the text messaging/email attendant 122,and the text messaging/email filter 123 are stored-program-controlledentities, such as a computer or microprocessor 102A/121, which performsthe method of FIGS. 3-9 and the processes described herein by executingprogram instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium, suchas a memory (i.e., a computer memory, a hard disk, and/or the like).Although the methods described in FIGS. 3-9 are shown in a specificorder, one of skill in the art would recognize that the steps in FIGS.3-9 may be implemented in different orders and/or be implemented in amulti-threaded environment. Moreover, various steps may be omitted oradded based on implementation.

The user interface 300 is displayed in the display 104A to the user105A. The user interface 300 depicts a series of text messages310A-310F. However, as one of skill in the art would recognize, the textmessages 310A-310F may also be a series of emails. The text messages310A-310F of FIG. 3 are described in relation FIG. 1; however, as one ofskill in the art would recognize, the text messages of FIG. 3 may alsobe implemented by the system of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3, the user 105A is Sally Jones. The user 105A (Sally Jones)sends, using the text messaging/email client 103A, the text message 310Ato the text messaging/email attendant 122. For example, the user 105A(Sally Jones) sends the text message 410A to a corporate textmessaging/email attendant 122. In FIG. 3, the user 105A (Sally Jones)sent a text message 310A that states “HELLO.” The content of the textmessage 310A may be any text or may even not have text. In response, thetext messaging/email attendant 122 sends the text message 310B to thetext messaging/email client 103A. The text message 310B has a list ofthree options of how to contact the users 105 “JOHN SMITH,” JANE DOE,”and “SUN LEE.” To contact the user “JOHN SMITH,” the user 105A (SallyJones) can type “1” and/or the name “SMITH.” To contact the user “JANEDOE,” the user 105A (Sally Jones) can type “2” and/or the name “DOE.” Tocontact the user “SUN LEE,” the user 105A (Sally Jones) can type “3”and/or “LEE.”

In response to the text message 310AB, the user 105A (Sally Jones) typesthe name “SMITH” in the text message 310C and then sends the textmessage 310A to the text messaging/email attendant 122. The textmessaging/email attendant 122 responds by sending the text message 310Dto the text messaging/email client 103A. The text message 310D tells theuser 105A (Sally Jones) that by just responding to the message 310D, atext message will be sent to the user JOHN SMITH. To accomplish sendinga response to JOHN SMITH, the text messaging/email attendant 122 mayrespond with the message 310D by using the address (e.g., telephonenumber/text messaging address) to contact JOHN SMITH directly. In otherwords, the text messaging/email attendant 122 terminates the two-waycommunication session between Sally Jones and the text messaging/emailattendant 122 and a two-way text messaging session is establisheddirectly between Sally Jones and JOHN SMITH. For example, the two-waytext messaging session between the text messaging/email attendant 122and Sally Jones may be automatically terminated after an inactivitytimer expires. Alternatively, the two-text messaging session between thetext messaging/email attendant 122 and Sally Jones may be terminatedbased on a terminate session message sent by either of the users 105Sally Jones or JOHN SMITH (via the text messaging/email client 103).When the two-way text messaging session between the text messaging/emailattendant 122 and Sally Jones is terminated, the message of step 310Bwill be displayed in response to a text message sent from Sally Jones.

Alternatively, the text message 310D may include a telephone number ortext messaging address that the user 105A (Sally Jones) can use toestablish the text messaging session with JOHN SMITH. In one embodiment,the text message 310D may use the address of the text messaging/emailattendant 122 along with the users name JOHN SMITH. This way textmessaging/email attendant 122 may hide the text messaging address of theuser JOHN SMITH, but still allow the text messaging session to takeplace.

The user 105A (Sally Jones) sends the text message 310E to JOHN SMITH.

JOHN SMITH responds by sending the text message 310F. Thus a textmessaging session is established between the user 105A (Sally Jones) andthe user 105 JOHN SMITH (e.g., at user communication endpoint 101B).

For example, the text messaging attendant/email attendant 122 may beused by a doctor's office where the user 105A (Sally Jones) is apatient. The users 105 JOHN SMITH, JANE DOE, and SUN LEE are differentdoctors in the doctors office. In this example, the text message 310Bwould say to contact “DR. JOHN SMITH,” the user 105A (Sally Jones) cantype “1” and/or the name “SMITH.” To contact “DR. JANE DOE,” the user105A (Sally Jones) can type “2” and/or the name “DOE.” To contact “DR.SUN LEE,” the user 105A (Sally Jones) can type “3” and/or “LEE.”

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a second user interface 400 that depicts a seriesof text messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.The user interface 400 is displayed in the display 104A to the user105A. The user interface 400 depicts a series of text messages410A-410F. However, as one of skill in the art would recognize, the textmessages 410A-410F may also be a series of emails. The text messages410A-410F of FIG. 4 are described in relation FIG. 1; however, as one ofskill in the art would recognize, the text messages of FIG. 4 may alsobe implemented by the system of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 4, the user 105A is Sally Jones. The user 105A (Sally Jones)sends, using the text messaging/email client 103A, a text message 410Ato the text messaging/email attendant 122. For example, the user 105A(Sally Jones) sends the text message 410A to a cloud-based textmessaging/email attendant 122. In FIG. 4, the user 105A (Sally Jones)sent a text message that states “HELLO.” The content of the text message410A may be any text or may even not have text. In response, the textmessaging/email attendant 122 sends the text message 410B to the textmessaging/email client 103A. The text message 410B has a list of threeoptions of how to contact the users 105 “JOHN SMITH,” JANE DOE,” and“SUN LEE.” To contact the user “JOHN SMITH,” the user 105A (Sally Jones)can type “1” and/or the name “SMITH.” To contact the user “JANE DOE,”the user 105A (Sally Jones) can type “2” and/or the name “DOE.” Tocontact the user “SUN LEE,” the user Sally Jones can type “3” and/or“LEE.”

The user 105A (Sally Jones) types the number “1” in the text message410C and sends the text message 401C to the text messaging/emailattendant 122. The text messaging/email attendant 122 responds bysending the text message 410D. The text message 410D states that theuser JOHN SMITH and been notified of the request to have a textmessaging session. The text messaging session between the textmessaging/email attendant 122 and the user 105A (Sally Jones) isautomatically terminated (or may be terminated based oninactivity/terminate message). When the two-way text messaging sessionbetween the text messaging/email attendant 122 and Sally Jones isterminated, the message of step 410B will be displayed in response to atext message sent from Sally Jones.

For example, after terminating the text messaging session, the user JOHNSMITH receives a text message that indicates that the user 105A (SallyJones) wants to have a text message session. The user JOHN SMITHresponds and sends the text message 410E to the text messaging/emailclient 103A, which is then displayed in the user interface 400. The user105A (Sally Jones) responds to the text message 410E by sending the textmessage 410F. In addition to Sally Jones' name, the text message sent toJOHN SMITH may include additional information, such as, record number(s)of previous conversation(s), transcript(s) of previous communication(s),and/or information about Sally Jones obtained from a database look-ups(e.g., “Sally Jones is deaf and cannot communicate by voice”).

The process of FIG. 4 may also work where the address in the textmessage 410E has the address of the text messaging/email attendant 122.This way, the text messaging address of JOHN SMITH is not revealed tothe user 105A (Sally Jones).

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a third user interface 500 that depicts a seriesof text messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.The user interface 500 is displayed in the display 104A to the user105A. The user interface 500 depicts a series of text messages510A-510F. However, as one of skill in the art would recognize, the textmessages 510A-510F may also be a series of emails. The text messages ofFIG. 5 are described in relation FIG. 1; however, as one of skill in theart would recognize, the text messages of FIG. 5 may also be implementedby the system of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 5, the user 105A is Sally Jones. The user 105A (Sally Jones)sends, using the text messaging/email client 103A, a text message 510Ato the text messaging/email attendant 122. For example, the user 105A(Sally Jones) sends the text message 510A to a corporate textmessaging/email attendant 122. In FIG. 5, the user 105A (Sally Jones)sent a text message that states “HELLO.” The content of the text message510A may be any text or may even not have text.

The text messaging/email attendant 122 responds to the text message 510Aby sending the text message 510B. The text message 510B states that theuser 105A (Sally Jones) may respond by entering the name of the user 105that the user 105A (Sally Jones) wants to establish a text messagingsession with. In response, the user 105A (Sally Jones) sends the textmessage 510C that has the name “SUN LEE” to the text messaging/emailattendant 122. The text messaging/email attendant 122 responds bysending the text message 510D to the text messaging/email client 103A,which is displayed to the user 105A (Sally Jones). In other words, thetext messaging/email attendant 122 terminates the two-way communicationsession between Sally Jones and the text messaging/email attendant 122and a two-way text messaging session is established directly betweenSally Jones and SUN LEE. For example, the two-way text messaging sessionbetween the text messaging/email attendant 122 and Sally Jones may beautomatically terminated after an inactivity timer expires. When thetwo-way text messaging session between the text messaging/emailattendant 122 and Sally Jones is terminated, the message of step 510Bwill be displayed in response to a text message sent from Sally Jones.Alternatively, the two-way text messaging session between the textmessaging/email attendant 122 and Sally Jones may be terminated based ona terminate session message sent by either of the users 105 Sally Jonesor SUN LEE (via the text messaging/email client 103). When the two-waytext messaging session between the text messaging/email attendant 122and Sally Jones is terminated, the message of step 510B will bedisplayed in response to a text message sent from Sally Jones.

Alternatively, the text message 510D may include a telephone number ortext messaging address that the user 105A (Sally Jones) can use toestablish the text messaging/email session with SUN LEE. In oneembodiment, the text message 510D may use the address of the textmessaging/email attendant 122. This way text messaging/email attendant122 may hide the text messaging address of the user JOHN SMITH, butstill allow the text messaging session to take place.

The user 105A (Sally Jones) responds to the text message 510D by sendingthe text message 510E. The text message 510E goes to the user SUN LEE.The user 105 SUN LEE responds by sending the text message 510F to thetext messaging/email client 103A. This results in the text messagingsession being established between the user 105A and the user 105 SUNLEE.

In FIG. 5, the text messages 510A and 510B may not be necessary. Forexample, the user 105A (Sally Jones) may just start by sending the textmessage 610C that has the name “SUN LEE.”

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a fourth user interface 600 that depicts a seriesof text messages/emails for rerouting a text messaging/email pathway.The user interface 600 is displayed in the display 104A to the user105A. The user interface 600 depicts a series of text messages610A-610F. However, as one of skill in the art would recognize, the textmessages 610A-610F may also be a series of emails. The text messages ofFIG. 6 are described in relation FIG. 1; however, as one of skill in theart would recognize, the text messages of FIG. 6 may also be implementedby the system of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 6, the user 105A is Sally Jones. The user 105A (Sally Jones)sends, using the text messaging/email client 103A, the text message 610Ato the text messaging/email attendant 122. For example, the user 105A(Sally Jones) sends the text message 610A to a cloud-based textmessaging/email attendant 122. In FIG. 6, the user 105A (Sally Jones)sent a text message 610A that states “HELLO.” The content of the textmessage 610A may be any text or may even not have text.

The text messaging/email attendant 122 responds to the text message 610Aby sending the text message 610B. The text message 610B states that theuser 105A (Sally Jones) may respond by entering the name of the user 105that the user 105A (Sally Jones) wants to establish a text messagingsession with. In response, the user 105A (Sally Jones) sends the textmessage 610C that has the name “SUN LEE” to the text messaging/emailattendant 122. The text messaging/email attendant 122 responds bysending the text message 610D to the text messaging/email client 103A,which is displayed to the user 105A (Sally Jones). The text messagingsession between the text messaging/email attendant 122 and the user 105A(Sally Jones) is automatically terminated (or may be terminated based oninactivity/terminate message). When the two-text messaging sessionbetween the text messaging/email attendant 122 and Sally Jones isterminated, the message of step 610B will be displayed in response to atext message sent from Sally Jones. The text message 610D indicates thatthe user SUN LEE has been notified of the user 105A's request to have atext messaging session.

The user SUN LEE (e.g., at user communication endpoint 101B) responds bysending the text message 610E to the user 105A (Sally Jones). The user105A (Sally Jones) responds to the text message 610E by sending the textmessage 610F to the user SUN LEE. Thus a text messaging session isestablished between the users Sally Jones and SUN LEE.

The process of FIG. 6 may also work where the address in the textmessage 410E has the address of the text messaging/email attendant 122.This way, the text messaging address of SUN LEE is not revealed to theuser 105A (Sally Jones). The benefit of this solution is that itprovides privacy for the users 105. For example, because allcommunication passes through the text messaging attendant 122, the textmessaging attendant 122 can ensure that the originating user 105 neversees the recipient's address. The text messaging attendant 122 may alsoensure that the recipient user 105 never sees the originator's address.

In FIG. 6, the text messages 610A and 610B may not be necessary. Forexample, the user 105A (Sally Jones) may just start by sending the textmessage 610C that has the name “SUN LEE.”

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a first process for rerouting a textmessaging/email pathway. The process starts in step 700. The textmessaging/email attendant 122 waits, in step 702, to receive a testmessage to establish a text messaging session. If a text message is notreceived in step 702, the process of step 702 repeats.

Otherwise, if a text message is received in step 702, the textmessaging/email attendant 122 sends, in step 704, a text message thatidentifies a way to select individual users 105. For example, the textmessaging/email attendant 122 sends one of the text messages 310B, 410B,510B, or 610B. The text messaging/email attendant 122 waits, in step 706to receive a text message (e.g., one of text messages 310C, 410C, 510C,or 610C) that selects a user 105. If a text message is not received instep 706, the process of step 706 repeats unless there is a timeout. Ifthere is a timeout (e.g., no text message received within a certaintime) the process goes to step 700.

Otherwise, if a text message is received in step 706, the textmessaging/email attendant 122 determines if the text message is valid(e.g., identified a specific user). If the text message is not valid instep 710, the text messaging/email attendant 122 sends, in step 708, atext message that states that the text message received in step 706 wasinvalid. If the text message is valid in step 710, the textmessaging/email attendant 122 terminates the text messaging sessionbetween the text messaging/email attendant 122/Sally Jones in step 711.The text messaging/email attendant 122 sends, in step 712, the textmessage (e.g., one of text message 310D, 510D, or the messages sent tothe selected user 105) that allows the user (e.g., 105A) and theselected user (e.g., 105B) to have a text messaging session. The processthen goes to step 702.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a second process for rerouting a textmessaging/email pathway. The text messaging/email attendant 122 waits,in step 802, to receive a text message with a name. For example, thetext message 510C or 610C are text messages with a name. If a textmessage is not received in step 802, the process of step 802 repeats.Otherwise, if a text message with a name is received in step 802, thetext messaging/email attendant 122 determines, in step 804, if the nameis valid. This may be done by searching through a list of names in adatabase. For example, the text messaging/email attendant 122 candetermine if the user correctly typed the name “SUN LEE.” If the name isinvalid in step 804, the text messaging/email attendant 122 sends, instep 806, a text message that indicates the name is invalid.

Otherwise, if the name is valid in step 808, the text messaging/emailattendant 122 determines, in step 808, if the name needs clarification.For example, if the user entered the name “SMITH” and there are twousers named WILMA SMITH and JOHN SMITH. If clarification is needed instep 808, a clarification text message is sent in step 810 and theprocess goes to step 802. If clarification is not needed in step 808,the text messaging/email attendant 122 terminates the text messagingsession between the text messaging/email attendant 122/Sally Jones instep 811. The text messaging/email attendant 122 selects, in step 812,the user 105 and sends a text message that allows the user 105 and theselected user 105 to have a text messaging session (e.g., the textmessage 510D or the text message sent to SUN LEE as described in FIG.6). The process then goes to step 802.

In one embodiment, (that will work for any of the process described inFIGS. 3-8) when the text messaging/email attendant 122 remains as anintermediary element, after the text messaging session is establishedbetween the user 105A (Sally Jones) and the other user 105 (via the textmessaging/email attendant 122) either one of the user communicationendpoints 101 involved, may send a text message to terminate the textmessaging session (e.g., by clicking on a terminate button). This textmessage then causes the text messaging/email attendant 122 to terminatethe text messaging session. In addition, this message causes the textmessaging/email attendant 122 to send the initial menu message (e.g.,message 310B, 410B, 510B, or 610B) when a text message is received fromSally Jones.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process for blocking unwanted textmessages/emails. The process of FIG. 9 goes between steps 710/711 and808/811. After determining that the response is valid in step 710 orthat clarification is not needed in step 808, the text messaging/emailattendant 122 determines, in step 900, whether the user 105A has beenblocked (e.g., blacklisted). If the user has not been blocked in step900, the process goes to step 712/812. Otherwise, if the user is blockedin step 900, the text messaging/email attendant 122 can optionally senda blocked message to the user 105A in step 902. The process then goes tostep 702/802.

The process of FIG. 9 may be used as a type of SPAM filter for textmessaging and/or email. For example, specific telephone numbers (e.g.,originating from a specific country)/emails addresses (e.g., from aspecific company may be identified.

Alternatively, the text messages (e.g., 310B, 410B, 510B, and 610B) maybe used in the filtering process. For example, the text message of step310B may only contain one option or have one or more options that arenot legitimate.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process for rerouting a text messagingpathway based on receiving each character in a separate text message.This type of process is used to replace an analog “Baudot” Teletypebased on EIA TIA-825A protocols that are used by people with hearingloss. For example, the text message 310C (where the name “SMITH” issent), this message would be sent as five separate text messages.

The process starts in step 1000. The text messaging/email attendant 122determines if a text message with a single character is received. Forexample, as the user 105A types out the name “SMITH,” the textmessaging/email attendant 122 would process the receipt of eachcharacter individually. If a text message is not received in step 1002,the process of step 1002 repeats.

If a character is received in step 1002, the text messaging/emailattendant 122 determines, in step 1004, if there is a name (e.g., asshown in text message 310C) and/or number (e.g., as shown in textmessage 410C) match. For example, after receiving the characters in fiveseparate text messages that match the user “SMITH.” If there is no matchin step 1004, the process goes back to step 1002. If there is a timeout(e.g., the user has stopped typing for a predetermined period of time)or there is clearly not a match (e.g., the typed string cannot match anyuser 105) the process goes to step 1006. In step 1006, the searchprocess is reset (e.g., the text messaging/email attendant 122 startsbuilding a new search string) and a text message is sent to indicatewhat happened (e.g., timeout/unrecognizable string). The process thengoes to step 1002.

If there is a match in step 1004, the text messaging/email attendant 122sends a confirmation text message in step 1008. For example, to ask theuser 105A if the selected user is correct (e.g., by responding with a Yor N). If an approval text message is received in step 1010, the user105 is selected and a text message is sent that allows the user 105A tohave a text messaging session with the selected user is sent in step1012. The search process is reset, in step 1014, which starts a newsearch. Otherwise, if an approval message is not received (or has aninvalid response) the process goes to step 1006 to reset the search andsend a text message to indicate that the user 105A must start over. Theprocess then goes to step 1002.

In FIG. 10, the steps 1008 and 1010 may be optional. For example, ifthere is a match in step 1004, the process may go directly to step 1012.

The process described in FIGS. 1-10 are described where the same type ofmessages are used throughout. For example, where all the messages aretext messages or all the messages are emails. In one embodiment, thetext messaging/email attendant 122 may act as a translator betweenmessage formats. For example, the user 105A may be communicating viatext messaging and the other user (e.g., 105B) may be communicatingusing email. The user 105 may use an administration application toidentify a preferred messaging modality. For example, the user 105B mayset a preference that he/she wants to communicate via email regardlessof what communication modality the user 105A communicates with.

Examples of the processors as described herein may include, but are notlimited to, at least one of Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 800 and 801, Qualcomm®Snapdragon® 610 and 615 with 4G LTE Integration and 64-bit computing,Apple® A7 processor with 64-bit architecture, Apple® M7 motioncoprocessors, Samsung® Exynos® series, the Intel® Core™ family ofprocessors, the Intel® Xeon® family of processors, the Intel® Atom™family of processors, the Intel Itanium® family of processors, Intel®Core® i5-4670K and i7-4770K 22 nm Haswell, Intel® Core® i5-3570K 22 nmIvy Bridge, the AMD® FX™ family of processors, AMD® FX-4300, FX-6300,and FX-8350 32 nm Vishera, AMD® Kaveri processors, Texas Instruments®Jacinto C6000™ automotive infotainment processors, Texas Instruments®OMAP™ automotive-grade mobile processors, ARM® Cortex™-M processors,ARM® Cortex-A and ARIV1926EJ-S™ processors, other industry-equivalentprocessors, and may perform computational functions using any known orfuture-developed standard, instruction set, libraries, and/orarchitecture.

Any of the steps, functions, and operations discussed herein can beperformed continuously and automatically.

However, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure, thepreceding description omits a number of known structures and devices.This omission is not to be construed as a limitation of the scope of theclaimed disclosure. Specific details are set forth to provide anunderstanding of the present disclosure. It should however beappreciated that the present disclosure may be practiced in a variety ofways beyond the specific detail set forth herein.

Furthermore, while the exemplary embodiments illustrated herein show thevarious components of the system collocated, certain components of thesystem can be located remotely, at distant portions of a distributednetwork, such as a LAN and/or the Internet, or within a dedicatedsystem. Thus, it should be appreciated, that the components of thesystem can be combined in to one or more devices or collocated on aparticular node of a distributed network, such as an analog and/ordigital telecommunications network, a packet-switch network, or acircuit-switched network. It will be appreciated from the precedingdescription, and for reasons of computational efficiency, that thecomponents of the system can be arranged at any location within adistributed network of components without affecting the operation of thesystem. For example, the various components can be located in a switchsuch as a PBX and media server, gateway, in one or more communicationsdevices, at one or more users' premises, or some combination thereof.Similarly, one or more functional portions of the system could bedistributed between a telecommunications device(s) and an associatedcomputing device.

Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the various links connectingthe elements can be wired or wireless links, or any combination thereof,or any other known or later developed element(s) that is capable ofsupplying and/or communicating data to and from the connected elements.These wired or wireless links can also be secure links and may becapable of communicating encrypted information. Transmission media usedas links, for example, can be any suitable carrier for electricalsignals, including coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, and maytake the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated duringradio-wave and infra-red data communications.

Also, while the flowcharts have been discussed and illustrated inrelation to a particular sequence of events, it should be appreciatedthat changes, additions, and omissions to this sequence can occurwithout materially affecting the operation of the disclosure.

A number of variations and modifications of the disclosure can be used.It would be possible to provide for some features of the disclosurewithout providing others.

In yet another embodiment, the systems and methods of this disclosurecan be implemented in conjunction with a special purpose computer, aprogrammed microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integratedcircuit element(s), an ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digitalsignal processor, a hard-wired electronic or logic circuit such asdiscrete element circuit, a programmable logic device or gate array suchas PLD, PLA, FPGA, PAL, special purpose computer, any comparable means,or the like. In general, any device(s) or means capable of implementingthe methodology illustrated herein can be used to implement the variousaspects of this disclosure. Exemplary hardware that can be used for thepresent disclosure includes computers, handheld devices, telephones(e.g., cellular, Internet enabled, digital, analog, hybrids, andothers), and other hardware known in the art. Some of these devicesinclude processors (e.g., a single or multiple microprocessors), memory,nonvolatile storage, input devices, and output devices. Furthermore,alternative software implementations including, but not limited to,distributed processing or component/object distributed processing,parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also beconstructed to implement the methods described herein.

In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be readilyimplemented in conjunction with software using object or object-orientedsoftware development environments that provide portable source code thatcan be used on a variety of computer or workstation platforms.Alternatively, the disclosed system may be implemented partially orfully in hardware using standard logic circuits or VLSI design. Whethersoftware or hardware is used to implement the systems in accordance withthis disclosure is dependent on the speed and/or efficiency requirementsof the system, the particular function, and the particular software orhardware systems or microprocessor or microcomputer systems beingutilized.

In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be partiallyimplemented in software that can be stored on a storage medium, executedon programmed general-purpose computer with the cooperation of acontroller and memory, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, orthe like. In these instances, the systems and methods of this disclosurecan be implemented as program embedded on personal computer such as anapplet, JAVA® or CGI script, as a resource residing on a server orcomputer workstation, as a routine embedded in a dedicated measurementsystem, system component, or the like. The system can also beimplemented by physically incorporating the system and/or method into asoftware and/or hardware system.

Although the present disclosure describes components and functionsimplemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standardsand protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards andprotocols. Other similar standards and protocols not mentioned hereinare in existence and are considered to be included in the presentdisclosure. Moreover, the standards and protocols mentioned herein andother similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein areperiodically superseded by faster or more effective equivalents havingessentially the same functions. Such replacement standards and protocolshaving the same functions are considered equivalents included in thepresent disclosure.

The present disclosure, in various embodiments, configurations, andaspects, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/orapparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, includingvarious embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those ofskill in the art will understand how to make and use the systems andmethods disclosed herein after understanding the present disclosure. Thepresent disclosure, in various embodiments, configurations, and aspects,includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items notdepicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments,configurations, or aspects hereof, including in the absence of suchitems as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., forimproving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost ofimplementation.

The foregoing discussion of the disclosure has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intendedto limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In theforegoing Detailed Description for example, various features of thedisclosure are grouped together in one or more embodiments,configurations, or aspects for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. The features of the embodiments, configurations, or aspectsof the disclosure may be combined in alternate embodiments,configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. This methodof disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention thatthe claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recitedin each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventiveaspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosedembodiment, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims arehereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of thedisclosure.

Moreover, though the description of the disclosure has includeddescription of one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects andcertain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations,and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as maybe within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, afterunderstanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rightswhich include alternative embodiments, configurations, or aspects to theextent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalentstructures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or notsuch alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions,ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publiclydedicate any patentable subject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated email attendant comprising: amicroprocessor; and a computer readable medium, coupled with themicroprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executableinstructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause themicroprocessor to: receive, a first email message from a first userusing a first user communication endpoint; in response to receiving thefirst email message from the first user communication endpoint, send asecond email message to the first user communication endpoint, whereinthe second email message identifies a way to select individual ones of aplurality of users; receive a third email message from the first usercommunication endpoint, wherein the third email message identifies aselected one of the plurality of users; and send a fourth email messageto a user communication endpoint associated with the selected one of theplurality of users, wherein the fourth email message allows the selectedone of the plurality of users to establish an email messaging sessionwith the first user communication endpoint, and wherein the fourth emailmessage is tagged with a name of the selected one of the plurality ofusers and an email address of the automated email attendant to establishthe email messaging session.
 2. The automated email attendant of claim1, wherein responding to the fourth email message causes the emailmessaging session to be established.
 3. The automated email attendant ofclaim 1, wherein the microprocessor readable and executable instructionsfurther cause the microprocessor to: send a fifth email message to thefirst user communication endpoint, wherein the fifth email messageindicates that the selected one of the plurality of users has beennotified of a request to establish the email messaging session.
 4. Theautomated email attendant of claim 1, wherein a fifth email message issent to the first user communication endpoint, wherein the fifth emailmessage includes an email address of the selected one of the pluralityof users, and wherein the first user can establish the email messagingsession with the selected one of the plurality of users by sending asixth email message to the email address.
 5. The automated emailattendant of claim 1, wherein the third email message comprises a nameor number that is used to select the one of the plurality of users. 6.The automated email attendant of claim 1, wherein the microprocessorreadable and executable instructions further cause the microprocessorto: determine that the first user of the first user communicationendpoint has been blocked; and in response to determining that the firstuser of the first user communication endpoint has been blocked, notsending the fourth email message.
 7. A method comprising: receiving, bya microprocessor, a first email message from a first user communicationendpoint of a first user; in response to receiving the first emailmessage from the first user communication endpoint, sending, by themicroprocessor, a second email message to the first user communicationendpoint, wherein the second email message identifies a way to selectindividual ones of a plurality of users; receiving, by themicroprocessor, a third email message from the first user communicationendpoint, wherein the third email message identifies a selected one ofthe plurality of users; and sending, by the microprocessor, a fourthemail message to a user communication endpoint of the selected one ofthe plurality of users, wherein the fourth email message allows theselected one of the plurality of users to establish an email messagingsession with the first user communication endpoint, and wherein thefourth email message is tagged with a name of the selected one of theplurality of users and an email address of an automated email messagingattendant to establish the email messaging session.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein responding to the fourth email message causes the emailmessaging session to be established.
 9. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising: sending a fifth email message to the first usercommunication endpoint, wherein the fifth email message indicates thatthe selected one of the plurality of users has been notified of arequest to establish the email messaging session.
 10. The method ofclaim 7, wherein a fifth email message is sent to the first usercommunication endpoint, wherein the fifth email message includes anemail address of the selected one of the plurality of users, and whereinthe first user can establish the email messaging session with theselected one of the plurality of users by sending a sixth email messageto the email address.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:determining that the first user of the first user communication endpointhas been blocked; and in response to determining that the first user ofthe first user communication endpoint has been blocked, not sending thefourth email message.
 12. A non-transitory, computer-readable mediumcomprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed bya processor, causes the processor to: receive, a first email messagefrom a first user using a first user communication endpoint; in responseto receiving the first email message from the first user communicationendpoint, send a second email message to the first user communicationendpoint, wherein the second email message identifies a way to selectindividual ones of a plurality of users; receive a third email messagefrom the first user communication endpoint, wherein the third emailmessage identifies a selected one of the plurality of users; and send afourth email message to a user communication endpoint associated withthe selected one of the plurality of users, wherein the fourth emailmessage allows the selected one of the plurality of users to establishan email messaging session with the first user communication endpoint,and wherein the fourth email message is tagged with a name of theselected one of the plurality of users and an email address of anautomated email attendant to establish the email messaging session. 13.The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, whereinresponding to the fourth email message causes the email messagingsession to be established.
 14. The non-transitory, computer-readablemedium of claim 12, wherein the microprocessor readable and executableinstructions further cause the microprocessor to: send a fifth emailmessage to the first user communication endpoint, wherein the fifthemail message indicates that the selected one of the plurality of usershas been notified of a request to establish the email messaging session.15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, whereinresponding to the fourth email message causes the email messagingsession to be established.